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FSC 74
|debut= none |return= Denmark Italy Spain |withdraw= Israel |pre= FSC #73 |nex= FSC #75|image = }} April 2015 sees the 74th edition of FSC. It is currently held in Bergen, Norway after group Ask Embla won the preceding edition with their song "Lay It On Me". Under the themes of "Northern Panorama" and "Land of Mountains and Fjords" Norway hosts its second FSC (after FSC 59) in the western town of Bergen in the province of Hordaland. 36 countries aim to win the competition, two more as in FSC 73. Denmark and Italy joined again after longer breaks (since June and May 2013, respectively), Spain also returned after their absence in the month before. Israel however did not send an entry. Italy was the winner with its entry "Io ti aspetto" ''by Marco Mengoni. The Host City '''Bergen' is a city and a municipality on the West Coast of Norway. It is the second largest city in Norway (population ca 280.000, (Greater Bergen Region about 410.000) and is often called ‘the city between the seven mountains’ ('byen mellom de syv fjell'), & also ‘the Gateway to the Norwegian Fjords’. Bergen received status as a city during King Olav Kyrre's rule in 1070 . In 1068 the Diocese of Bergen was established. Around 1100 the export (through Bergen) of dried cod from the northern Norwegian coast started, soon becoming the principal export traded from Bergen. In 1163 the cathedral, Christ Church was site of the 1st royal coronation. In 1830s Oslo (the capital) surpassed Bergen as Norway's most populous city. Bergen continued, however to play an important part in trade and business on the west coast of Norway , its port also important in the 1900s , for the 'Hurtigrute' (coastal shipping route north along the Norwegian coast) and cruise ships who visit Bergen & the fjords. The Venue The host venue for FSC April 2015 is the Grieghallen, a 4,468 seat concert hall in Bergen, Norway . The largest auditorium in the hall , the Griegsal , seats 1,509 . The Grieg Hall has been the home of the Bergen Philharmonic Orchestra since the hall's completion in 1978. It hosted the Eurovision Song Contest in 1986, and is the host of the annual Norwegian Brass Band Championship competition, which occurs midwinter. It yearly hosts the Bergen International Festival (Festspillene i Bergen), a very well known Norwegian music & theater festival, and is also used for ballet, operaconcerts and pop/rock concerts. The hall is named after the world-known Bergenborn classical music composer Edvard Grieg who was the music director of the Bergen Philharmonic Orchestra from 1880 until 1882, a great honour for the Orchestra. The Hosts Margaret Berger (born 11th October 1985) is a Norwegian singer , songwriter , music director , and DJ . She made her debut on Sony BMG , after she placed second on the second season of Norwegian Idol in 2004. She released the studioalbums ‘Chameleon’ (2004) & ‘Pretty Scary Silver Fairy’ (2006) . Margaret Berger , represented Norway in the Eurovision Song Contest 2013 in Malmö Sweden, finishing in fourth place with the popular Electro-Pop song " I Feed You My Love ". She has released several successful digital singles since then, and is still at work on her forthcoming (delayed) new album. Alexander Rybak (born 13th May 1986), is a Norwegian-Belarussian singer-composer, violinist, pianist, writer , actor and presenter/host. Representing Norway in the 2009 Eurovision Song Contest in Moscow Russia, Alexander Rybak won the contest with a record 387 points - the highest tally any country had achieved, in the history of Eurovision with "Fairytale", a song he wrote & composed. His debut album ‘Fairytales’ charted in the top 20 in 9 European countries including a No. 1 position in Norway and Russia. He has since released f.ex the album ‘No Boundaries’ (2010) & several singles. Christine Guldbrandsen (born 19th March 1985 in Bergen, Norway) , is a singer who is best known internationally, for being Norwegian , entrant in the 2006 Eurovision Song Contest with the song ‘Alvedansen’. With a crystal-clear voice and an impressive vocal range she is often compared to sopranos like Sissel Kyrkjebø & Hayley Westenra. She has released four albums in Scandinavia: ‘Surfing in the Air’ (2003), ‘Moments’ (2004), ‘Christine’ (2007) & ‘Colors’ (2011). She sings mainly in Norwegian and English but has sung in Italian & Latin too. In recent years she has played several musicaltheater roles. The Show The Results The Winner Marco Mengoni - Io ti aspetto: